India's moon mission comes to an abrupt end

Bangalore, Aug 29 (PTI) India's ambitious maiden moon
mission Chandrayan-I came to an abrupt end Saturday after
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) lost communication
with the spacecraft, cutting short the dream odyssey ten
months after it was launched.

The mission that was to last two years is "definitely
over. We have lost contact with the spacecraft," Project
Director of the Chandrayaan-1 mission M Annadurai told PTI.

ISRO Chairman Madhavan Nair said scientists were
analysing what has gone wrong and whether there was any
possibility of recovery.

He said 95 per cent of the scientific objectives of
the mission have been completed.

Asked if the mission is over, he said, "we will have
to face the reality but we will have a better opportunity
tomorrow".

The two-year mission, launched on October 22 last
year with much fanfare, was abandoned early today after radio
contact with the mooncraft was abruptly lost at 0130 hours.

The Deep Space Network at Byalalu near here received
the data from the 1,380 kg Chandrayaan-1, which carried 11
instruments on board, including six from overseas, during the
previous orbit up to 0025 hours.

ISRO is conducting detailed review of the telemetry
data from the spacecraft. "We will analyse as to what
happened," Annadurai said. PTI RS
DDC